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Ethelwynne M. Quail: The Kingdom of the Gods | The Etheric Field 

Autumn Exhibitions at The College of Psychic Studies


10th October 2026 - 31st January 2027


This autumn, The College of Psychic Studies presents two connected exhibitions, exploring how artists have developed visual languages to express experiences beyond ordinary perception.  From Ethelwynne M. Quail's visionary paintings of devas and nature spirits to contemporary works concerned with memory, sensation and the relationship between people and places, the programme traces the connections between inner experience and the world around us.

Ethelwynne M. Quail: The Kingdom of the Gods

Ethelwynne M. Quail (1903–1947) was a South African artist and sculptor associated with the Theosophical movement. Working across sculpture, drawing, painting and writing, she dedicated her life's work to exploring realities beyond ordinary perception. Entirely self-taught, she developed a distinctive visual language inspired by nature, mythology and esoteric philosophy, seeking to make visible the forces she believed shaped the natural world.

This exhibition is the first public presentation devoted to Quail's original paintings and drawings. At its centre are her depictions of devas: luminous non-human intelligences associated in Theosophical thought with the living energies of nature. Developed through her collaboration with the clairvoyant and writer Geoffrey Hodson (1886-1983) during the 1930s and later published in his book The Kingdom of the Gods, these works reveal Quail's distinctive artistic vision, demonstrating how she transformed esoteric ideas into an original visual language of her own.

While Quail's sculptures were exhibited in Britain during the 1920s, including at the Royal Academy and the Walker Art Gallery, her paintings and drawings have remained largely unseen. Bringing together more than twenty paintings and drawings alongside archival materials, photographs and personal correspondence, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to encounter Quail's work in depth, inviting a reconsideration of her place within the history of twentieth-century esoteric art.

Curated by Simon Grant and Jacqui McIntosh (Curator and Archivist, The College of Psychic Studies). The College and the curators gratefully acknowledge the generous support and collaboration of the family and Estate of Ethelwynne M. Quail.

* Please note, the exhibition will be closed to the public on Tuesday 13th October, 2-3pm, during this talk.

The Etheric Field

Gabriella Boyd, Aleksandra Ionowa, Mila Nowacka, and Vanessa da Silva

The Etheric Field brings together four artists whose works explore the relationship between inner experience and the world around us. Featuring previously unseen works by Aleksandra Ionowa and Mila Nowacka alongside new works created especially for the exhibition by Gabriella Boyd and Vanessa da Silva, the exhibition draws on Theosophical ideas of thought-forms and universal interconnectedness.

The works of Aleksandra Ionowa (1899–1980) visualise subtle states of consciousness and relationships between spiritual experience, nature and the cosmos, proposing a reality in which the boundaries between self, matter and spirit are fluid and constantly shifting. Communication and exchange are central concerns in Gabriella Boyd's practice. Her paintings explore relationships between people, places and inner experience, suggesting forms of connection that extend beyond what can be seen. Mila Nowacka's intricate drawings emerge from close attention to bodily sensation and perception. Focusing on different parts of her body, she creates forms that do not depict anatomy as it appears, but rather as her 'body and mind want to see them'. Vanessa da Silva's sculptures explore the shifting boundaries between self and environment. Interested in forms that are 'alive, changing or becoming', she considers how people and places continuously shape and transform one another. 

Together, the works consider subtle relationships between perception, consciousness and environment, suggesting that experience extends beyond the self and leaves lasting impressions within the spaces we inhabit.

The Etheric Field is curated by Jacqui McIntosh (Curator and Archivist, The College of Psychic Studies), presented alongside Ethelwynne M. Quail: The Kingdom of the Gods. With thanks to Gabriella Boyd and GRIMM, Amsterdam | London | New York, Mila Nowacka & Vanessa da Silva.

Reading Room 

 Visit our Reading Room on the fourth floor to explore the ideas, histories and texts that inform The Etheric Field and Ethelwynne M. Quail: The Kingdom of the Gods. 

Our Permanent Collection on Display

Beyond the two temporary exhibitions, rooms across all four floors of the College will be open, displaying highlights from our Permanent Collection. The College of Psychic Studies cares for an extensive collection of spirit-inspired art, photography, archives and artefacts spanning the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. Explore the building to encounter artworks, objects and stories that illuminate histories of Spiritualism and esoteric thought, and the individuals who shaped them. 

The collection includes works by Anna Mary Howitt Watts, Aleksandra Ionowa, Sidney Manley, Ethel Le Rossignol and contemporary artists Sarah Sparkes and Shannon Taggart, alongside materials relating to mediums including Helen Duncan, Eileen J. Garrett and Madame d'Esperance.

The College's Public Esoteric Reference Library, Gift Shop and Meditation Room will also be open to exhibition visitors and the general public.


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Free entry

All are welcome.
Donations gratefully received.
Book your ticket at the bottom of this page. 
Tickets help us anticipate visitor numbers but aren't mandatory for visiting The College of Psychic Studies and its exhibitions.


Opening hours

10th October 2026 - 31st January 2027

Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Sunday: 11am–4pm

Last entry: 30 minutes before closing


How to find us

The College of Psychic Studies
16 Queensberry Place
London, SW7 2EB UK

We're a short walk from South Kensington or Gloucester Road underground stations and are well served by local buses.

For route planning within London visit the Transport For London Journey planner.


Planning your visit

We want everyone to enjoy the exhibition, and the whole building is open to visitors. 

Please note that there are four steps up to our front door, with a handrail on both sides. Unfortunately, due to the steepness of the steps, it is not possible to use a wheelchair access ramp at the entrance.

Once inside, the exhibitions on the fourth floor can be reached by lift or stairs. Please be aware that the rooms on the first and second floors have steps at their entrances, so are not step-free.

Toilets are located in the basement and on the second, third and fourth floors. The toilets in the basement and on the second and third floors are not wheelchair accessible, and there are steps outside the second-floor toilets.

Our staff are always on hand to assist. If you have mobility needs or would like to plan your visit, please email us at admin@collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk and our team will do everything we can to help.

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